Storming of the Seretei
by Chronically Lazy
Summary: A re-write of my story 'Define Tatsuki' Our favourite tomboy hits Seretei and we all know when Tatsuki hits, she hits hard. ON HIATUS TILL JUNE.
1. Chapter 1

**Renji:**** she's insane and needs a shrink as well as anger-management classes. If Kenpachi was female his name would be Tatsuki**

**Shuuhei: **** Violent and disrespectful. Also slightly odd. **

* * *

He frowned when he heard a loud crash from below. He rose to his feet and walked to the window from where he could see the path that led to the entrance of the bar.

A rather large man flew out of the bar and crashed into the building opposite the bar. He was soon followed a second man, who although smaller than the first, was still large.

A small framed woman in the Shinigami academy uniform stormed out of the bar. She yelled something at them and pointed sideways. The men quickly scurried to their feet and ran off.

Hisagi tiled his head sideways; what could have made two shinigami run away from an academy student?

He was about to find out.

……………………………..

Renji glowered at the academy student. "And exactly _who_ are you?" the dark haired girl cocked her head to the side and smiled,

"Oh, so you don't remember me, do you _lieutenant_ Abarai?"

The lieutenant narrowed his eyes as he tried to place her. She did look eerily familiar and for some reason he had the strange urge to run as far away from her as possible.

"I believe I am the one you referred to as an evil midget with anger management issues who sticks her uppity nose where it does not belong?" he calm tone caused was beginning to scare him.

"You shouldn't have crossed me lieutenant."

Renji's eyes widened in realization, "you're the academy brat that beat up Nagasaki and Seji in the bar.

"Ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding. People, we have a winner." She grinned as she rolled up the white sleeves of her haori. "Now let's tell him what he has won."

"Don't get too cocky, so you beat up a bunch of guys, Nagaski and Seji are a joke." Renji said calmly.

"I don't intend to fight you… at least not yet. A little humiliation will do just fine." She was still maintaining that creepy smile.

She put her hands together slowly, "you know, I have a little trick I do with spirit energy; pay very close attention and you just might find out why those two knuckle heads sprinted away so quickly."

"Oh and Ichigo might advice you not to take me so lightly."

Renji stared at her defiantly, what a joke.

"Art of destruction number 31; shot of red-"

"An academy student disrespecting a lieutenant?" a smooth yet stern voice interrupted her incantation. She spun round reflexively and she ended her spell

"- fire"

A bright ball of red energy shot towards the intruder. It happened so fast that the intruder could not react. The energy ball hit him in the chest and sent him flying across the rukongai streets until he crashed into a nearby cart.

He looked down at his charred haori and then at the sheepish looking girl. "ouch." Renji said from behind her.

"um… sorry? I really am sorry."

The shinigami glared at her.

"Well can't be late for class." She grinned before turning round and shunpoing away.

He looked up at the red haired lieutenant who was barely holding on to his laughter, "Gotta admit, that was funny eh, Hisagi."

Hisagi's frown deepened. He was going to kill that girl.

* * *

**A/N: A rewrite of my story 'Define Tatsuki' **


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1**

**Shuuhei:** **A self-righteous disaster waiting to happen. **

* * *

She walked silently behind her fellow shinigami academy graduates. She was not in the best of moods. Tatsuki hated two numbers above all other numbers - 9 and 6. She constantly made sure non of her possessions were in groups of nine or six and if she had the is fortune of having a group of items that added up to one of the previous numbers she either discarded of one item or added another item to the unfortunate group. Her constant need to avoid said numbers led most people to believe she had some kind of psychological disorder; the truth was she detested the numbers for no particular reason and she managed to keep up her string of _good_ luck and end up in the ninth division. Her frown deepened with the realization that she was going to spend the rest of her afterlife with that sickening number attached to her name 'Tatsuki Arisawa of the ninth division.' The mere thought of it made her want to retch.

"It could be worse; I could be in the fifth division." She told her self slowly.

She stood up straight when the large doors of the division opened. What she saw emerge from those doors made her jaw go slack, as if she had lost all control of the muscles in her jaw.

"Welcome to division 6." A familiar voice said in an almost detached manner, "I am you Captain Hisagi Shuuhei."

After that, the rest of the inauguration was pretty much a blur. As she filed into the offices with the rest of the graduates, she could feel the captain's unforgiving glare boring holes into the back of her head. She mustered enough courage to turn and look back.

He _was_ glaring at her.

Their eyes met and the sheer intensity if his glare informed her that she was, beyond a doubt, undoubtedly screwed.

…………………………

He looked at the papers on his desk. 'Six in four days' he thought as he flipped through the complaints. "Arisawa, Arisawa, Arisawa." He slammed his fists on his desk, "I knew she was trouble."

He shut his eyes and leaned back in his chair. She was unique, no doubt, but not in a good way. She was a merge of the loud brash, violent moron and the self-righteous, self-appointed law-enforcer determined to rid you of your 'evil' whether you like it or not.

After a few minutes of clearing his head he called for Arisawa.

She wrung her hands in severe anxiety as she stood before her captain. "Captain Hisagi." She said as she tried with all her might not to burst out in either a fit of laughter or apology. She remembered every detail of the moment she had used a kido spell on him and sent him flying across the streets of Rukongai. His dark eyes bore right through her and she grinned sheepishly, each passing second made her more and more nervous – it was almost ridiculous. "Tatsuki Arisawa." His tone caused her to wring her hands with even more ferocity, her nervousness preventing her from making eye contact.

"Arisawa Tatsuki, you are hereby suspended from your duties as a shinigami until further notice."

Anxiety forgotten, Tatsuki stared at her captain in unhidden disbelief "you're kidding right?"

"no." he replied directly.

"But… what have I done?"

Hisagi held up a thin red file, "these," he said as he waved he file, "are complaints issued against your person."

He opened the file, "two assault complaints and four disobedience complaints." He closed the file and looked up at her, "it is clear you are, at the moment, unfit to be a shinigami officer."

She glared at her captain and all sense of self restraint flew out the window, "Ever since I came to this division all you have done is try to find fault with me. There are shinigami in the eleventh division who get more complaints in a day than I get in a week. What the hell is you problem with me?"

Hisagi frowned, "Arisawa, remember to whom you are speaking." He said coldly, "I am a captain."

"Well at this moment I don't have to do anything you say because incase you have forgotten I am not an officer; I have been suspended." She said in a low malicious tone as she glowered at the captain, "but before I go, do tell me _exactly_ what you have against me, is it because of some stupid incident a decade ago?"

Hisagi's frowned only deepened; his initial hate had stemmed from that but the more he heard about her the more his hate grew. It was not what she had done but who she was.

"You think it's your position to enforce the law on people and make sure they follow 'the right path.' No matter what it takes. You think it's your duty to bring justice into this world." He was on his feet, glaring at her, Tatsuki smiled slightly,

"And you think you can judge me, you think you can tell me what I think and why I do what I do." Tatsuki stared him straight in the eyes, her tone patronizingly soft, "I don't try to force people to do the right thing – you never know who is right until you know completely what is going on. I do not try to enforce justice – I only try to protect those who cannot or do not protect themselves, I try to help those who need my help."

Shuuhei was lost for words, he was so certain she wanted to enforce justice by force – he was so certain she was like Tousen, how could he be so wrong?

'_no'_ he told himself, _'I'm not wrong, she's just lying to herself.'_ He watched as Tatsuki removed her badge and fling it at him,

"You don't know me; so don't judge me, I may be violent and short-tempered but I try to help and at least give people the benefit of the doubt – I don't judge them."

Tatsuki began to walk out, he was about to stop her and ask for her zanpaktou but she stopped at the door, turned to face the flabbergasted captain and said, "I have no idea why you dislike me but I hope you know sending me to another division won't get rid of me." Smirking she leaned her zanpaktou against the door frame and added, "Whatever personal grudge you have against me is severely misplaced anger which you will have to get over it because no matter where you send me I'll still be around _captain_ Hisagi."

"You're just too much trouble." The captain sighed as she walked out of the squad 9 office proudly.

Hisagi could not help but wonder why he felt like he had done something wrong.

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Ukitake:** **A very strong and special woman with much to learn. **

* * *

Tatsuki slumped against the side of a building. She'd been running through seretei so fast she had actually managed to get somewhat lost. She no longer felt the wind blowing her hair although today was quite windy, there seemed to be a meter radius around her where the wind dare not come. She sank to the ground and pulled her knees to her chest when she felt tears stinging her eyes.

A few steps behind her a white haired captain stood and watched as tears hit the ground. Here she was, a girl who would undeniably become one of the strongest shinigami in sereitei, also one of the most caring shinigami. She wanted to bring justice – but only to those who wanted to be saved. She was a bit crafty and loved to pull pranks, she always wore a smile – except when beating the living daylight out of someone. She was always trying to help, so why had she been reduced to tears? She had the best traits of the worst shinigami – how was that bad?

"Hello." A male voice said.

Her head shot up and she turned to see a white haired captain sitting next to her. "Captain Ukitake." She said as she quickly wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Candy?" he asked as he held out a handful of sweets to her. At first she was shocked but then she pulled herself together and shook her head.

After a few seconds of silence she managed to muster enough courage to ask, "Captain Ukitake, do you know if I can apply to switch divisions even though I'm on suspension?"

"Suspension?" Ukitake asked in disbelief, "how did that happen?"

She hesitated slightly but finally said, "Too many complains. Eight to be exact."

"Funny, no one ever gets suspended for complaints." Ukitake shrugged, "there are complaints against _everyone_."

The captain smiled at her, "There is actually a long standing complaint about me."

"As if." Tatsuki laughed.

"Really, apparently my white hair reflects too much light and causes a glare."

He looked at her and smiled, "No one takes complaints seriously, unless they are extremely serious."

"My captain hates me." Tatsuki said as she stretched out her legs, "I have no idea why but he does."

"He doesn't hate you; he hates who you remind him of." Ukitake said as he rose to his feet, "and if you ask me the both of you are too alike for your own good."

Following suit, Tatsuki rose to her feet. "You're really special. Don't forget that."

Tatsuki stared at the Captain as he walked away. She tilted her head slightly to the side; Hisagi hated her because of who she reminded him of?

* * *

**A/N: This is just a little filler chapter while I think. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Hanatarou:**** Brave and caring soul albeit a bit too harsh at times. **

**Kenpachi:**** With a little work someone I'll be threatening Hisagi in order to get her in my division. **

**Yumichika:**** Hn, rather pretty fighting. Definitely interesting. **

**Yachiru:**** Spikey!!!!! **

**Hisagi: *****retract former definition and will hold out until later***

* * *

He backed up slowly and felt himself bump into a wall – why did they have so many routes that led to dead ends in seretei and why did he always end up there when faced by drunken and bored squad elevens? - He was scared as hell, _'why can't Unohana taichou take a walk in this direction.'_ He thought as struggled to find an escape route from the group of _very drunk_ eleven-division shinigami that staggered towards him, each reeking of alcohol to an unheard of level.

Tatsuki ran into another dead end, grabbing her hair in frustration she yelled, "Who designed this place? A fucking nostalgic lab rat?!"

She heard a muffled sound.

Tatsuki looked up and saw a dark haired boy dangling upside down, his mouth taped shut and his arms taped to his side. The girl was speechless; never would she have even imagined such a scenario. "Stop squirming;" Tatsuki sighed as she leapt onto the building roof, "it'll only tighten the ropes." The boy obediently stopped moving around.

Hanatarou was glad to be untied and on the ground – most of al he was glad to be the right way up. "T-thank you." He stuttered. Tatsuki furrowed her brows,

"How did you end up there?" she asked, Hanatarou fidgeted uneasily

"I was, um…" he looked at the ground and shuffled his feet uneasily "err…" Tatsuki sighed,

"It's ok." She snapped Hanatarou relaxed visibly

"Thank you." He said again.

"Yeah, sure." Tatsuki replied as she continued running to her destination.

Perhaps she could have been a bit nicer to him she thought as she ran towards the training area, but she was still pretty sour about being suspended, plus what was she going to do with all that spare time?

Apparently saving Hanatarou.

Tatsuki was marginally annoyed when she found Hanatarou, the next day, in the sewer with the ladder ripped away – he just stuttered his way out of it when she asked what happened.

She was more annoyed when she found him, the day after that, covered in feathers and hanging from a building, again, he stutter-dodged her question.

She was angry when she found him in three different situations in one day; her anger only grew when he was unable to say more than 'um…'

Her next two weeks were spent untying, helping out, loosening, setting free, de-feathering and basically saving the fourth squad member. She was furious but hid it well; under that calm exterior Tatsuki, who could not stand bullying, was ready to punch something or someone.

She walked aimlessly through the maze she had grown rather accustomed to, "What should we do today?" she heard a hoarse voice say, ignoring it she turned round a corner but took a few steps back when she heard another voice say,

"Seems like someone has been letting this little sewer rat out."

She followed the voice as silently as she could, she could feel Hanatarou spirit energy pulsing like mad, as well as four other larger spirit energies. "Baka." She muttered as she quickened her pace.

"What the hell is going on?!" Tatsuki demanded to the back of the shinigami who had cornered Hanatarou, they ignored her

"Are you too dense to answer a simple question?!" she yelled, weeks worth of anger was surfacing. The men turned to her; all of them were larger than she was by far and wore menacing scowls but Tatsuki stood her ground.

"Are you the idiots who have been causing me so much trouble this week?"

She asked, she was fuming, "do you know how much of my time has been spent getting Hanatarou out of those childish and stupid situations you put him in?!"

Tatsuki yelled, "I mean come on! Feathers?!" she lowered her head so her eyes were hidden,

"Now leave Hanatarou alone and if I see you so much as scowling at him I'll kick your asses so hard you'll be pulling your asses out of your ribcage!"

The men burst out laughing, "The sewer rat got himself a little girlfriend!" Hanatarou blushed violently; Tatsuki didn't even look up; balling her hand into fists she said in a low and menacing tone

"You are entitled to be as un-evolved and dense as you wish, just don't pick or anyone." She looked up at them, her eyes shining with anger and determination,

"Or I swear I'll beat you up… every single one of you."

The men continued laughing, "Ha! A little girlie like you beat us up? You're not even a seated officer!"

Tatsuki smirked, "I know, but me being an unseated officer does not change the fact that you are weak, pathetic half-wits – leaving how you became seated officers a mystery."

The men were angry.

They cracked their knuckles and glared at her threateningly "weak huh?" they asked.

Tatsuki folded her arms and nodded, "yes, weak, and don't forget stupid."

"Take out your zanpaktou." One man commanded in a hoarse voice, "We're going to fight fair – like real squad elevens."

Tatsuki rolled her eyes "Yes, bullying hanatarou is the definition of fair." She said sarcastically. Then added, "Plus, there's no reason for me to bother my zanpaktou with such a useless battle."

Two captains, a vice-captain, a third seat and a fifth seat both watched the small framed girl beat up four seated squad elevens with only hand-to-hand combat,

"She fights beautifully." The fifth seat said as he watched in fascination, "her hand to hand combat is like an art." One of the captains grinned through out the rather short battle – if it could be called a battle, considering the girl was not hit once

"Ken-chan is smiling!" the pink haired vice-captain grinned, "Ken-chan would be happy if he fought her!"

The other captain frowned. Before the battle was over he rose to his feet and shunpoed away.

"Oi, where did Hisagi go?" Ikkaku asked.

Yumichika shrugged.

The captain of the sixth division stood silently on a hill on the outskirts of seretei. "Was I really wrong?"

He looked up to the sky. The sun was setting and thus the sky was now a brilliant canvas of orange, yellow and red.

Arisawa was really something else. She had enviable ideals and was generally an enigma.

He let out a deep breath; he knew what he would do.

Starting tomorrow he was going to take a page from her book and give her the benefit of the doubt – or at least he was going to try.

Damn Ukitake and his stupid guilt trips.

* * *

**A/N: Finally got it up. Final exams are hell. =-_-=**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**Hisagi:**** Confusing… **

* * *

First thing the next morning he had sent for her. He was not really sure should would turn up; she was unpredictable that way. Lucky for him (mainly his conscience) she decided to turn up.

She leaned in his doorway. Somehow being on suspension and knowing at the moment he could not punish her for anything she did, had given her wings.

"From this moment you are off suspension." He said calmly.

He looked at her waiting for the news to sink in.

Tatsuki stood straight and walked to the captain's desk. She took her badge off his desk. He felt little under her bitter glare.

"What made you change your mind?" She asked as she took her zanpaktou and clipped it on her waist.

"I found a more fitting punishment. I realized that previously, I was too harsh."

"Really?" he frowned slightly at her sarcasm.

"Well if that is all, I am leaving." She said.

"That is not all," His tone was carefully cold. "Apart from your usual duties here in Division nine, you will report here at the end of each day. You are dismissed."

Bitterness forgotten, Tatsuki stared at her captain in unhidden disbelief "you're kidding right?"

"no." he replied directly.

"What for?"

"Do not question your superiors."

"Bullshit." She yelled not caring that most of seretei could hear her, "So if you said 'hey Arisawa, jump into a volcano' I should just comply without asking what you had been smoking?"

Hisagi frowned, "Arisawa I would like to remind you of the fact that you are speaking to your captain." She scowled; she hated the fact that she had to respect them, she just did not do respect without a person earning it.

"Whatever." She said as she stormed out,

"And where do you think you are going?" her captain asked.

During the time she was alive Tatsuki had had a long, passionate relationship with irking authority and just because she had died did not mean her love for causing trouble had died alongside her, instead it had grown with each annoying shinigami academy instructor.

"I asked you a question." Her captain said, his tone reminding her fondly of her high school history teacher who happened to be constantly enraged due to her behavior.

She smiled slyly as she said "you dismissed me captain, or have you forgotten already? But if you wish you are welcome to restrain me from my duties for as long as you wish."

The captain shut his eyes and exhaled, "leave." He said in strained voice.

He waited till he heard the door close, "can that girl not make me regret a decision?"

"Actually I'm a woman and I can make your life easy, you just have to learn to stop pissing me off." His eyes flew open at the sound of her voice.

Tatsuki was leaning against the door and grinning from ear to ear. "Arisawa…" he growled.

"I'm leaving, I'm leaving." She said as she did something that completely stunned him; she grinned playfully. He stared at the door a few seconds after it had closed.

She was definitely something.

* * *


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Hisagi:**** believe it or not, she is actually good company. **

* * *

He honestly had lost track of time. It is not that he thoroughly _enjoyed_ this aspect of his job, he was just so taken in that he forgotten it was time to close, and thus time for him to 'punish' Tatsuki.

He nearly grabbed his zanpaktou when his door flew open.

"Arisawa Tatsuki, there is a thing know as knocking." He said slowly as he tried to compose himself.

She tilted her head slightly to the right and asked, "So?"

The dark haired captain rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration, was a little respect too much to ask for? Pointing to a desk at one end of his office he said, "That is your seat."

"So my punishment is to sit?" she asked with a hint of humor that was barely traceable.

"Just sit." Her captain snapped.

"What's eating you?" she mumbled as she made her way to the desk and sat down.

He was taken aback by the warm, playful manner in which she interacted with him. She seemed to have forgotten how hostile he had been to her previously.

Her eyes followed her captain as he exited the office and soon returned with a large pile of papers, placing the paper on 'her' desk he said in a slightly amused voice, in an attempt to return her 'socialness', "_This _is your punishment."

She looked at the papers and then at her captain, "paperwork?" she asked.

He nodded.

"But that's for captains and lieutenants!" she objected.

"No," he said as he returned to his seat, "it's for the captains to assign to who ever he wants."

She stared at him as he continued his own pile of work. He looked at her, "What are you waiting for?" he asked, "start."

She folded her arms rebelliously "No."

He smiled secretly to himself, "I need those done by tomorrow."

"No." she repeated in an insolent manner, "I'm a shinigami, not a slave."

"Do you know the consequences for disobeying a captain?"

Tatsuki frowned and picked up a pen, she was defiant not stupid.

She looked down at her work, "this is from eighty years ago." She protested as she held up a piece of paper. "Why is there paperwork from eighty years?"

"Do you know anything about this division?" it was meant as a rhetorical question but Tatsuki answered

"No."

The captains head shot up, "did you choose this division?"

Tatsuki unconsciously broke her pen "no" she seethed, "I chose divisions eleven and two but I didn't get in. I have no idea why but I didn't get in. I was sure I would get into the eleventh division but I didn't."

"That's two divisions, you normally pick three."

"For my first choice I picked division eleven, second choice; division two, third choice; division eleven."

Hisagi shook his head and began to explain the sixth division,

"Well, this division is in charge of law enforcement in Seeretei."

"Seriously?"

"Yes."

"Then why is it so boring?"

"Ever since the captain rebellion things have been pretty quiet around here so we get stuck with 'extra' paperwork. Things like paperwork for accepting paperwork, paper work accepting things, you know – paper work. Most people choose this division because paperwork is boring and no one cares about it so those below lieutenant are basically free. No one _does_ paperwork."

"Then why do you?"

"I refuse to leave a job undone."

"That still doesn't answer why there is eighty year old paper work." She said.

"The captain before the last captain was extremely lazy and did virtually nothing except fight."

"And after that?"

"The captain before me was too proud to ask for help and was blind."

Tatsuki nearly choked on her laughter.

"I know, give the blind guy the paper work" Hisagi rolled his eyes,

"So how do I get information for this?"

"Well I didn't know anything about it because I was in the shinigami academy so you go to the library."

"You've got to be kidding."

"Nope." Hisagi smiled.

Tatsuki looked up from her work. The captain was busily writing something.

'Maybe he's not so bad.' She thought with a secret smile.

* * *


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Ichigo:**** Someone I have to protect at all cost. I failed her once and refuse to do so again**

* * *

Ichigo sat on the roof of one of the buildings in the ninth division. His perpetual scowl deepened into something more menacing.

Ever since Tatsuki had been taken off suspension she had been staying after work. It had taken him a while to notice, about a week, but the bottom line was that he noticed. She had not only been staying behind later than was what he deemed acceptable so obviously he had asked her.

All that got him was a punch. Of course the way he asked her may not have been the most polite but still, he at least deserved more than

"It's none of your business."

As if that would not make him more suspicious.

So he decided to investigate himself. By investigate he meant sit on the roof of one of the ninth division buildings and scowl. As crude as that seemed he had learned something; the hours she stayed behind were steadily increasing.

Also, she was staying behind with Hisagi. That ass-hole (to her) captain who had been nothing but evil and hostile (to her). The guy hated her, yet it appeared that for the past few weeks she had been staying behind in his office.

"What are you doing? Are you glued to that spot?" a voice yelled from the ground.

Ichigo looked down at the red haired lieutenant, "mind your own business!" he yelled back. It's not like Renji would understand. No one would, they just didn't get how much he had to look out for Tatsuki. He owed her too much to let anything happen to her.

"You're creeping people out!" the lieutenant yelled back, "you've been sitting there for three hours letting your spirit energy fluctuate like an idiot! The new shinigami are scared."

The captain frowned, "so?!" he yelled back.

He flew forward as a hard sharp object collided with the back of his head.

"Ichigo stop acting like an idiot! We were sent here to stop you from killing all the new shinigami with your lack of control over your reiatsu."

He turned and looked at the dark haired girl and then looked away without saying a word.

Rukia sighed, "We tried." Both Renji and Rukia knew that when Ichigo got in moods like this there was no way to stop him.

He'd get over it… hopefully.

Apparently he didn't because two weeks later Renji and Rukia were again faced with the daunting task of prying Ichigo out of the sixth division.

"What should we do?" The red haired shinigami asked the dark haired girl,

"Ichigo control you reitsu! The new shinigami are afraid of coming out of their houses after six!" Rukia yelled.

"Why do you keep sitting there on that roof and letting your reiatsu flare like a lunatic." Jus like he did from six to ten every single day, the captain of the (fifth?) division just scowled even more.

"Ichigo what is your problem?!" Rukia yelled.

"Why is she in there?" Ichigo said in a voice so light the other two shinigami almost did not catch it.

"It's between Tatsuki and Shuuhei alright, let it go. It's none of your business." Renji said with surprising insight.

"Funny, that's what she said." Ichigo replied bitterly.

"It's jealousy." Rukia whispered to Renji just loud enough for Ichigo to hear.

"For the last time I'm not jealous!" Ichigo yelled.

"hn, I'm outta here." Renji said, "I've had enough."

He shunpoed away and Rukia quickly followed suit. Ichigo stared at the captain's office once more. Then he decided; yesterday they had stayed there till well past mid-night. If they thought it was going to happen they were seriously dreaming.

* * *


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**Ichigo:**** Evidently temperamental. **

* * *

After hours of mind-numbing silence punctuated only by questions about paper work the captain of the ninth division looked up from his pile of papers "can I ask you a question?"

"One; you already did, two; no." Tatsuki answered without looking up from the paper she was working on.

"Why is Captain Kurosaki stalking you?" Shuuhei asked.

"How should I know?" Tatsuki, for the first time that evening, looked at her captain. "Ever since he came to ask why I stayed behind late and I hit him he won't come near me or speak to me."

"So what, he's angry because you hit him?"

"No, I think he thinks I'm pissed off and will hit him again if he comes near me. Why? I have no idea."

"What is he afraid of you?" the captain joked.

"I think so; he might still be scared of me."

The captain was silent for a second and then burst into laughter.

"I used to beat him up in during judo!" she protested.

"Wait, you laughed!" Tatsuki exclaimed.

The captain's expression became serious, "I can laugh. I do not lack the ability to." He said in a straight voice.

"And out goes the humor." Tatsuki lamented.

Hisagi had no idea what to make of her, he had nothing to say so he jut continued his work in silence.

"Hey Shuuhei." She said.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"Why do you act so stuck up in public?"

He refused to answer.

After twenty more minutes of repetitive paperwork Tatsuki finally snapped,

"That's it!" she yelled as she sprang to her feet, nearly knocking her chair over.

Shuuhei looked at her, half amused.

"I can't do this!" she yelled, "I can barely feel my fingers anymore – how much paperwork does seretei need?" she yelled as she grabbed her head, "it's like coursework – just more repetitive and boring!"

"It's called bureaucracy." Her captain said coolly.

She stood up and positioned her hands, "well this is called revenge." She said, "Art of destruction number 31, shot of red fire!" a red energy ball shot at the papers and incinerated them.

She placed her hands on her hips triumphantly, "there, all done."

She looked over at the grinning captain.

It was such a normal reaction; break down, burn the paper work, be happy with yourself, sit down and continue the (unburned) paperwork.

"What?" she asked.

"Wait here." He said as he walked out of his office.

Tatsuki would have sworn it was timed. As soon as Shuuhei closed the door behind him the left wall of the office exploded.

She stared at the gaping hole in the side of the office and then at the orange haired captain who had caused said hole, "Ichigo I swear of Shuuhei blames me for this I'll turn you into lasgna."

"Shuuhei?" Ichigo frowned, "how the hell can you call a captain by his first name and with no title attached?!"

"I call you Ichigo don't I?"

"b-but that's different."

"Sure it is." Tatsuki said sardonically as she slid into her seat.

"Ichigo, what are you doing here?" she asked exasperatedly.

"What are you still doing here? What do you do here after your work ends and on weekends?" the orange haired captain exploded.

"How is that your business?" she asked in an icy manner she had managed to pick up from Shuuhei.

She hadn't been angry with him before but Ichigo wouldn't let things be – he just _had_ to start interrogating her,

"Any way, why on earth have you been stalking me?"

"Stalking you?! I've been making sure nothing happens to you!"

Tatsuki's tone became dangerously low "are you insinuating that I can't take me care of myself?"

It was at this very inopportune moment her captain decided to walk in, "Shuuhei I swear if you tell me that is more paperwork you're going be charred next." She said coldly.

Actually, they were request forms requesting new copies of the papers she had incinerated but he did not get the chance to tell her that because the moment he saw his office's left wall he dropped the papers, "Arisawa what did you do?! What, killing the paper work didn't satisfy you're anger?!" his tone was a mixture of disbelief and sadness that caused a smile to tug at Tatsuki's lips; this of course made Ichigo's blood boil.

"What is going on?!!!" Ichigo yelled.

"None of your business!" Tatsuki yelled back.

"Both of you, stop yelling;" Shuhhei snapped as he rubbed his temples, "I'm getting a headache."

"Ichigo please go away – as you can clearly see I'm fine so there is no reason for you to keep 'protecting me'" it did not slip past Ichigo that Tatsuki had obediently lowered her voice.

"Arisawa, let's close early today." Her captain said as he turned and exited the office. Tatsuki shot Ichigo a venomous look before following her captain out the office.

Ichigo watched in confusion as she stormed out of the office, "what did I do?" he said.

Tatsuki slammed the office door shut so hard that a few books on the top shelf behind Shuuhei's desk fell off.

* * *


	9. Chapter 9

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Chapter 9

**Kenpachi:**** My next sparring partner. She was made for the eleventh division.**

**Yumichika:**** Beautifully strong. **

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Tatsuki watched with marginal interest as two seated officers sparred. Although there ere no 'allocated' sparring rooms this one was strictly eleventh division; apparently most of the other shinigami were either too scared or too tired of the eleventh division shinigami and generally kept out of their way.

She found herself quickly becoming bored of the eleventh division shinigami; they were made chiefly of brawn and were unnecessarily loud. "Boring, isn't it?" Tatsuki nodded at Yumichika, one of the few shinigami in the eleventh division she was yet to get tired of. He had practically dragged her to the sparring room insisting that she _had _to come today.

All she really wanted was to sleep in until the sun began to set.

Her eyes widened when she felt a massive spirit energy attempting to push down on her, all the pressure did was to make her restless and excited. She noticed the smile playing on Yumichika's lips. The doors flew open and a tall man with spiky hair and an eye patch stepped inside.

"You set me up." She hissed at Yumichika.

"I have no idea what you are speaking of." He said gently as he tightened his grip on her wrist; preventing her from running away.

The captain of the eleventh division could already feel the fear of the other shinigami before he entered the dojo. He found it amusing to walk into the dojo and scare those practicing. At least once a week, he would walk into the dojo and say how pathetic it was that no one was brave enough to spar with him. He wasn't a bully or anything but things got boring in seretei – there would be major trouble that required the attention of captains only once every hundred years or so. It was very understandable that someone like him; who was born to fight, would get bored. Once in a while he would get a good laugh from seeing some of the shinigami running from Yachiru but that was about it. As a way to quell a small part of his boredom, after declaring those sparring pathetic he would ask the smallest or most frightened looking shinigami to spar with him; they would usually scream and run away, some times they passed out on the spot. There would always be the shinigami who would snigger, the confident one who loved to make fun of the weaker ones. He would then turn his attention to that shinigami, and without fail, the person would stutter in pure fear, run away in pure fear or start mumbling incomprehensible nonsense.

"Let me guess." Kenpachi said in a bored tone, "all of you are still too scared to spar with me."

"She'll spar with you." Yumichika said quickly. The captain turned his attention to Tatsuki and grinned,

"You, lets fight."

She rose to her feet and rested her practice sword confidently on her left shoulder. She placed her right hand on her right hip and cocked her head slightly to the right,

"Do I really have to?" she asked in an unenthusiastic tone.

Kenpachi's grin widened. There was no way under the sun she would not end up in the eleventh division. A freshly graduated shinigami who managed to be so calm and relaxed in her presence despite his intimidating appearance and spirit energy? Tch, she was _made_ for the eleventh division.

Soi Fon was _not_ going to get this one.

The dojo was completely silent – save, the sound of the two wooden swords clashing.

Tatsuki leapt out of the way as Kenpachi's sword came down.

She spun round and tried to hit him in the side.

He blocked it.

She placed her sword under his and flipped it up.

This forced his arm to move upwards and the captain grinned; she was far stronger than he could imagine; most seated officers could not forcefully move him hand.

"If I fought as haphazardly as you I would hide my face in shame." She said as she jabbed his side with her elbow and swung her arm out.

The whole dojo would have become more silent if it were possible; she had successfully landed a hit on Zaraki Kenpachi (and insulted his skill), and she had not received that many. Instantly Zaraki knew he and the captain of the second division were going to have a little battle over this one.

The next move was so swift that no one in the bewildered audience caught it. All they saw was the Tatuski's sword blocking Zaraki's from coming into contact with her arm.

"I already know that lesson." She smirked, "never relax until the battle the over."

Zaraki pushed against her sword and due to her being so small and light she was pushed backwards.

"True you fight very technically correct and although erratic rather organized but we fight to win not for aesthetic purposes." Zaraki said as she careened through the air.

Most people would have fallen into an ungraceful heap but Tatsuki had long learnt to use what others saw as drawbacks to her advantage. While she was alive she was the smallest on her judo team – she was also the most evasive. That trait had served her well in the shinigami academy and was going to help her yet again.

She knew she was very light so she had learnt to land in different positions that would be an advantage to her. Although her greatest advantage had to be the stereotypical minds of people, she had come to realize that even in seretei people were boxed up into groups;

The smaller you are the weaker you are.

The stronger you are the more you suck at kido spells and shunpo.

The better you are at healing kidos the weaker you were.

She smirked as she was pushed back. Landing in a crouch, she shunpoed (sp?) in front of the captain of the eleventh division, she moved so fast he was barely able to follow her movements.

"Tell that to Mr. Eyelashes over there." She said as she struck him in the side with all her might.

Her wooden sword shattered. Zaraki had managed to bring his sword down on her right shoulder when a few seconds after she had struck him; while she was still dazed by the broken sword. But Tatsuki still managed to drop her shoulder and move a few steps back, the greatly reduced the effect.

Zaraki along with the audience was stunned speechless. Zaraki had gone very easy on her; after all it was training and she was not even a seated officer but her had not relaxed to the extent where he believed she could tie, possibly beat him – perhaps a lieutenant could, or a third seat, but not any one lower – especially a fresh shinigami academy graduate.

Considering the relative ease with which she had gone through this sparring session he could, in a real battle, easily see her pulling an 'Ichigo' i.e. drawing on some unknown force and defeating him.

Oh, he had found his new sparring partner.

She was busy looking at her broken sword when she heard someone declare, "You fought well but you lost." Her head shot up.

"Who said that?" she bristled; she knew the eleventh division captain was going way easy on her but that did not change the fact that she had not lost.

"I did." A well-built man stood up. She turned murderous eyes to him

"Bullshit." She replied, "If it were my zanpaktou I would have sliced him like paper."

"You can't cut my captain." He said. "In a real battle you would be too scared."

"Oh, as scared as you were when he walked in?!" she replied haughtily. The man frowned; it was his dream to defeat Zaraki Kenpachi – this tiny shinigami graduate had no right to step above him; he was yet to challenge the captain of the eleventh division, or a lieutenant to a sparring match and she just waltzed in and beat Zaraki?

"You lost, face it." The man said.

"It was a tie." Zaraki announced.

She ignored the captain; her attention was focused on the man. She grabbed a sword from one of a grinning Yumichika, pointing it at the man she yelled,

"Come over here and let me show you what losing looks like." The man planned to ignore her but the captain said,

"You should battle her."

She was small but the man was still scared of her although her perceived smaller people to be weaker but considering what she had jut done he was not quick to end up in critical condition; all he could do was mumble unintelligibly.

"Ok, let's go celebrate your victory." Yumichika grinned as he rose to his feet.

"I still remember you set me up asshole." He grinned nervously at her words.

"Hey but it's all fun and games… right? Plus I knew you pass so no hard feelings… right?

"I'm going back to sleep." She stated.

She flung the wooden sword back at Yumichika and walked out.

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**A/N: Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. I know this chapter isn't 'that' (I'm still looking for the word) but I kinda had to rush it because I'm going on vacation and don't know when I'll be able to update next. .**

**Oh and I found** **story to read** **while on vacation; My Immortal it's a Harry Potter fanfiction that'll make you laugh so hard. (it got 10,000 reviews) **


	10. Chapter 10

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**Chapter 10:**

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He sighed as the girl burst through his office doors; he missed the time when it was his office and his alone – even his fukutachiou did not dare enter his office without his permission but Arisawa just had to be different.

"Hi Shuuhei." She grinned as she sank into her seat. She pushed aside her paper work and placed her foot comfortably one the table.

"Someone's cheery." Shuuhei said slyly.

Tatsuki's lip turned up in a small smirk, "so you heard huh."

"How would I _not_ have heard? Rather reckless of you if you ask me."

"Yeah, but fun anyway. I mean this division is so boring, I have to get excitement somewhere don't I?"

Shuuhei shook his head slightly and they fell into a comfortable silence despite the violent spirit energy of Captain Kurosaki lashing at them from outside.

After almost and hour of silence Tatsuki lifted her head and looked at her Captain.

"Shuuhei."

"What?"

"Why are you in this division?"

Hisagi put his pen down and stared at his desk, why was he here?

"I mean I know it was a captain offer and all but judging from your character you would have turned it down had you not wanted it."

"It's quiet and at most times peaceful. It has never been really fast-paced even when it was at its most exciting. People in Seretei rarely commit serious crimes – it's usually plain stupidity."

"You don't look it. I mean, you go out of your way to look exactly like what you are _not_."

"What do you mean?"

"Look at you Shuuhei; tattoo, spiky hair, perpetual scowl, ripped sleeves – you look built for the combat division. This place is well… kinda boring."

Hisagi frowned; did she really think it was that boring? Was she really that unhappy here?

"You really don't like this place do you Arisawa." Hisagi said slowly as he fiddled with two papers on his desk.

"It's not that; it's ok and all but fighting Zaraki made me realize how much I missed 'out there'."

Did she mean being detained?

"You do know you have been free to not do paper work for well over a month now, right?"

"It's not staying back everyday shuuehei; it's the challenge and the fast pace." Her eyes took on a far way look that made her captain realize what he had to do. "Like you said, most people join this division to relax, so there's no one 'chasing' me."

He took one more look at the request sheet and he knew what he had planned to do before, reject the requests without her consent, was wrong.

"Arisawa, do you wish to stay in this division?"

Tatsuki blinked, "what do you mean?"

Normally he would have repeated the same sentence just slower to insinuate she was dense, instead he kept his gaze steady and his expression serious, "what you first arrived you filed for a transfer request."

"That I withdrew." Tatsuki pointed out.

"I know that, it's just and example."

"Normally if a captain wants to transfer an unseated officer he or she decides what division would be best…" Shuuhei began

"You're transferring me to another division?!" Tatsuki asked, "Why?!"

A small smile tugged on shuuhei's lips, "someone might think that bothers you." He said.

"Shut-up." Tatsuki snapped.

Any other person would have been heading for punishment but not Tatsuki because... wel, she was who she was.

"I am not transferring you; there are two requests for you to be transferred; one to the eleventh division where you will have the opportunity to fight for eighth seat, the other to the fifth division as tenth seat."

Hisagi fought back the urge to offer her fifth seat but stopped himself because he knew this wasn't her division.

"So who would it be? Captain Kurosaki or Captain Zaraki?"

"Can't I just stay?" Tatsuki asked.

"no." her captain replied flatly, "if you switch divisions you'll be one of the few shinigami to gain a seated position within a year of their graduation."

"Can't you just give me a seated position?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because there are no openings."

Tatsuki sighed, "so which should I chose."

Shuuhei wanted to scream, "I did not give you a choice so you'll ask me to tell you what to do."

"Fine, I know what I want to do anyway."

"So which is it?"

"Hisagi, you're not getting rid of me that easily." Tatsuki smirked.

"What?"

"I refuse both." Hisagi stared at her, bewildered, he was elated that she wanted to stay in his division but she jut couldn't.

"Are you aboslutely dense? did you not hear a word of what I said before?"

"Hearing and listening are two completely different things captain."

"You are going to the fifth division." Hisagi said firmly.

Tatsuki stared at him incredulously, "Are you drunk? Did you not hear me?wait, you _are_ trying to get rid of me. Fine then stick me with Zaraki."

"If you go the eleventh you' be Zaraki's sparring partner and I refuse to send you to your death."

"Aww… someone might think you care." Tatsuki mocked bitterly.

"I do." His blatant confession wiped all traces of an ger from her system,

"What?" Tatsuki asked incredulously,

"I do care about you. You're a talented shinigami who might find this place interesting – but only when there is actually a cause for my division to rise to action. Tatsuki, I'm not asking this as a captain but as a friend; this is what I think will be best for you, so please take my advice."

Tatsuki bit her bottom lip; she really had wanted to transfer out but she didn't want to leave her captain. "Ok." She nodded slowly, "but that does not mean you're rid of me."

"I wouldn't be so lucky." Hisagi deadpanned.

Tatsuki placed her elbows on her desk and clasped her hands together in a pensive position, "Um, Shuuhei, I have a favour to ask; for the rest of the time I am here could you pleasa not say anything thing like that sappy 'friend' crap you said earlier? It made me nauseous."

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	11. Chapter 11

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**Chapter 1****1**

**Third Seat Minase: An unruly, bad example of a shinigmai who has been given too much leeway**

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She had had it. So what if her former captain had spoilt her? That did not give some dense third seat the right to treat her as if she were scum.

"How dare you speak to me like that?" Tatsuki yelled as she slammed her palms on the desk of the Third seat, Minase Hideki, "What, you think just because you're a few seat ahead of me you can treat me like I'm dirt."

The whole office fell quite as days of pent up rage erupted, "I'm just about had it with you-"

"Tenth seat Arisawa!" Hideaki banged his fist on his desk, "there is such a thing as order and discipline!"

"Well there's such a thing as not having your head perpetually stuck up your ass – it's you're not aware of the bullshit I have to put up with!" she yelled back with equal ferocity.

"There is such a thing as respect!"

Anger rolled off both parties in furious waves and filled the air with a stifling tension.

"How dare you ask for respect when all you've done since I walked through those doors is belittle me?!" Tatsuki said between clenched teeth.

Hideaki smirked bitterly, "It seems we will have to instil some respect in you."

Frustrated, Tatsuki clenched her hands into fists on the desk, "Instil respect?! Respect is earned – _fear_ is instilled."

"Fine, then we'll just instil that too!"

"Are you crazy?" Tatsuki laughed scornfully, "Did you just say you were going to instil fear in _me_?"

"You know what; I've just about had it with you and your insolence and reckless pride!"

"My pride may be reckless but at least it's not baseless."

She had struck a nerve and she knew it. The third seat's fists tightened as he fought to control his rage, "How dare you, a lowly tenth seat, speak to me, you're superior, in such a manner?!"

His hand slipped off his desk, a small smirk tugged at the corners of her lips as she heard the dull rattling sound of his zanpaktou blade against its sheath as he contemplated attacking her – instilling the respect he had promised to.

"If that how you want to do things then it's fine by me." She raised both hands and set them together, "Art of Destruction number 31 shot of-"

"Do you not know any kido attacks apart from that tiresome one?" a familiar voice said.

The rest of the spell died on her lips and her hands fell limply to her side. She spun round quickly and stared at the man in the doorway, "Of course I do," she sneered, "I just don't see why I should level half of seretei for no real reason." She intentionally stressed the last two words.

"Well, at any rate just try to keep it down, you're disturbing; I'm having a meeting with your captain." The ninth division captain said as he turned and walked away.

"Um, seated officer Arisawa," Tatsuki turned her attention to the shinigami who had been standing behind Hisagi and waiting to speak to her.

"Can I help you?" Tatsuki asked in a slightly irritated tone.

"There is a shinigami women's association meeting this afternoon and it has been asked that you especially attended seeing as you have a habit of skipping meetings; having attended a total of zero meetings." The shinigami said in an oddly professional tone.

"What?"

"There is a shinigami women's association meeting and it is being insisted that you be there." The shinigami explained.

"As if," scoffed Tatsuki, "how many times do I have to tell you guys I'm not a part of your stupid association."

Tatsuki moved to walk out but the shinigami blocked the door and said in a low, warning tone "The shinigami women's association has more power than you think. I think it would be in your best interest to attend this meeting."

"Yeah, well I think it will be in your best interest to get out of my way."

"Very well." The shinigami said, "Don't say I did not warn you." She obediently stepped aside and Tatsuki brushed past her mumbling something about creepy robotic women.

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**A/N:** I know I failed to update last week – I was uber busy. Summer class = evil.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**All hail the mini-chapter. .\(^o^)/**

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Matsumoto scanned the room briefly; she lowered her head and pretended to be focusing on the clipboard in her hands, "Ok, time for roll call; Arisawa Tatsuki."

No response.

Matsumoto looked up, "She's not here? Perfect. End of roll call." A tanned hand rose in the front row, "yes?"

"What the hell am I doing here?" a thoroughly irritated Renji asked.

"You're an integral part of our meeting today, duh."

"Look, at least get Hinamori to get this binding kido offa me, 'k? It's freakin' uncomfortable."

"No; you'll just try to run away again." Rukia explained, "Now shut-up and listen."

"Good now that everything is cleared, onto the real meeting." Matsumoto clasped her hands together excitedly, "The next mission of the shinigami women's association is to get the two shinigami who are obviously made for each other together – but the fun way!"

Renji stared at Matsumoto with a mixture of disbelief and confusion. "You obviously don't get it," She sighed, "let me explain." Renji listened intently and in complete bewilderment as Matsumoto explain the most ridiculous, suicidal, nonsensical plan he had ever heard.

"And what does all that have to do with me?" Renji finally asked.

"You're the back-up, in case of an emergency."

"Like Tatsuki and Ichigo trying to kill you all in a blind fit of rage." He mumbled under his breath. "You know you can't do that, right; go around messing with people's lives that way."

"We're helping them. Moreover, we can, according to the Shinigami women's association code, we, as an association, can fiddle in any member's life if we feel they are in need of help, unless there is an objection at the meeting at which the idea is proposed – but apparently there is no objection."

"But Tatsuki isn't even a member of the association." Renji objected.

"What are you her lawyer?" Rukia demanded angrily.

"It's ok Rukia, it seems he needs things explained," Matsumoto's tone caused the hairs on the back of Renji's neck to stand. "You see Renji, it's the shinigami _women's_ association and if you're a woman you're a member – by default, so by the same rule, which was approved by Captain-General Yamamoto himself. Yes, he was half-asleep when he approved the association and its laws but he approved it anyway. Tatsuki is a woman; Tatsuki is a member – she cannot escape it, and thus, she falls under the rules of The Shinigami women's association. Concerning Ichigo… Rukia would you please?"

"There are certain shinigami that are 'property' of the shinigami women's association, they are; Yamada Hanatarou of the fourth division, Hitsugaya Toushiro of the tenth division and Kurosaki Ichigo of the fifth division." Rukia explained staidly, "There's also a blank slot on the list of property of the shinigami women's association, and an extra 'I chappy' shirt; don't make us use it Renji."

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**A/N: So my vacation finally ended and I'm back to school. Sorry this chapter is so short. Apparently Teachers find it fun to give tests in the first week of school so I had little time to write. **


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

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Matsumoto shifted uncomfortably behind the thick bushes. "Stop making noise or she might catch us." Rukia whispered.

"But I need a good view." Matsumoto whined.

"Shh!"

Orihime walked nervously towards her long time friend; she could feel the eyes of the president and vice-president of the shinigami women's association on her and she feared she might mess up in someway and Tatsuki would find out everything.

"Hello." Orihime said nervously as she sat beside Tatsuki,

"Hi Orihime," Tatsuki grinned excitedly, "I haven't seen you in while."

"You've just been a bit busy." Orihime smiled, desperately trying to hide her nervousness.

"Ugh, don't remind me." Tatsuki groaned an exaggerated groan that caused Orihime's lips to turn up into a true smile, "First Shuuhei then third seat Minase – I swear some higher power is bent on working me to death."

"Well we all know you preferred the former."

Tatsuki raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Nothing, nothing; just joking." Orihime grinned broadly as she waved her hands animatedly. "I'm just happy we could spend sometime together." She smiled.

"Sure." Tatsuki smiled.

The orange haired shinigami twiddled her thumbs nervously and cast a quick glance at the bush in the distance behind which hid Rukia and Matsumoto. "Are you ok Orihime?" Tatsuki asked, noticing her friend's odd discomfort.

"I'm fine! I'm fine!" Orihime grinned, "It's just that I have question."

"Shoot."

"Umm… do you like Ichigo?"

"Of course I do – he's been my friend for years. Unless of course you mean do I love him then no. Ignore what you hear from other people; it's all silly." Tatsuki turned and smirked, "what, you plan on confessing to him after just a few centuries?" she teased.

A bright red blush crept up Orihme's cheeks and she shook her head in the vigorously animated manner that was typical of her. "Relax, it's a joke." Tatsuki laughed.

With sudden vigour Orihime shot to her feet and stared purposefully at Tatsuki, "I think you're in denial and deep down you do love Ichigo – just like he does you, so it is now my destiny to bring you two together so you can live happily ever after," she tilted her head slightly to the side, "perhaps in a purple house with floating clouds for curtains."

Tatsuki lowered her head and sighed, "I think you should stick to cooking Orihime; I doubt matchmaking would be your strong suit, nor interior decorating."

"I'm serious!"

"I know you are, but there is serious and there is confused. I've known Ichigo too long to see him that way. You of all people should know that."

"That's not true. There's no such thing as too long."

"I don't know where all this is coming from Orihime, but suit yourself; I guess everyone needs an impossible hobby." Tatsuki shrugged as she rose to her feet, "anyway, I need to get back to work before that lunatic of a third seat, Minase, gets on my case again." She smirked at Orihime, "thanks for giving me something to laugh about, today has been kinda boring."

"Oh Tatsuki, do you think you could stay behind with Ichigo for a while?" Orihime asked.

"Orihime no, you cannot try to pair us up." Tatsuki sighed.

"I'm not trying to pair you up, me and some people in his division are planning a surprise for him and have to keep him out of his house for a while. Don't tell him."

"Sure." Tatsuki shrugged before shunpoing away.

Orihime frowned as she watched her best friend shunpo away; she had failed. "That girl is a thick as an Ichigo." Orihime jumped at the sound of Rukia's voice from next to her.

"Isn't it 'as thick as a brick'?" Matsumoto asked.

"It is but, a brick is nowhere near as thick as Ichigo. He outdoes the expression."

Matsumoto crossed her arms, "I think we might have to try harder."

………………………………

"Hurry up strawberry, the last things I want to do is stay overtime." Tatsuki burst into the captain's office.

"No one asked you to wait for me." Ichigo shot back as he filed away the last of his work. Of course he was glad she was staying behind with him for once but he'd never tell her that.

"Orihime did."

His head shot up and he stared at his tenth seat, "Why?"

"You're expecting me to figure out what goes on in that girl's head? Might as well as for the meaning of life." She smirked, "and hurry up.

Slightly frustrated, He shoved the rest of the paper in a random drawer and rose from his seat "OK, let's go."

"And ask Orihime why the hell she asked me to wait for you." Tatsuki added.

Ichigo was about to open the door when a familiar voice filled the room. "This is the vice-captain of the fourth division, Isane Kotetsu. There has been an accident with a kido spell; shinigami who find themselves trapped in a kido barrier should refrain from attempting to breakout as these barriers are highly unstable."

"_Accident_" Tatsuki sneered as she headed for a chair, "try horrible plan to somehow mess with me."

"What are you talking about?" Ichigo asked as she put her feet up on the desk.

"The shinigami women's association is out to get me. I'll bet you anything we're trapped in one of the barriers."

"What makes you so sure, I mean isn't that a bit… paranoid?"

Tatsuki turned and looked at him, an amused smile playing on her fine features "Ichigo I know what I'm talking about. The Shinigami's Women's Association is up to something that is not in my best interest."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this from you of all people. Stop being so damn paranoid." Ichigo flung open the door and found himself staring at a bright blue barrier.

"Told ya." Tatsuki smirked.

…………..

"Ha," Tatsuki laughed, "look at you feeling oh so powerful. I remember the first time I met you I had to save your cowardly self from a bunch of guys wailing on you. I believe you were crying as well." She smirked, "you've come a long way strawberry."

They had been stuck in the office for over two hours, not that either of them was complaining. "That wasn't the first time we met." Ichigo said in a tone that was somewhat serious.

Tatsuki furrowed her brows, "you don't remember?" Ichigo frowned, he remembered. "The first time we met was in the dojo, when we had to pick sparring partners I picked you because I thought it'd be easy to beat you. I actually said out loud that I knew I was not that good a fighter so I'd spar with the girl." Tatsuki smiled at him with pity,

"I wonder what I must have done to you."

"You don't remember instantly attacking me and hitting me till I bled."

"Oh yeah, I remember that. I gave you your first broken nose."

"Yeah, along with my first broken everything."

"I guess I've known you so long that it's all melded into one long memory with certain parts highlighted." She shrugged, "I mean there's a lot to remember."

They fell into a comfortable silence, both unknowingly contemplating her words. They had known each other for a very long time. Tatsuki could hear Orihime's words creeping into her head. When things like that were said by other people she couldn't care less but for Orihime of all people? Was there something she, Tatsuki, couldn't see?

She immediately mentally slapped herself. It was Orihime for goodness sake. Her so-called 'women's intuition' was about as right as Ichigo's logic.

* * *

**A/N this is to make up for the short chapter previously. =^_^=**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

* * *

Ichigo frowned as the familiar sound of the bickering of his tenth seat and third seat filled his office; this was his welcome after a particularly long and boring captain's meeting.

The door to his office flew open and Tatsuki, carrying a box, stormed in. Minase on the other hand stood outside the office "Captain." He greeted politely. Tatsuki scowled as she dropped the box on Ichigo's desk. Ichigo, curious, peeked in the box. It was full of her belongings. She turned sharply on her hells and glared at Minase,

"Fine, now I'm out and I am no longer under you."

"You can't move into a captain's office!" He objected.

"Yeah, well there are a lot of things that according to you I '_can't'_ do but I do!"

"You were in the living world without permission! And being under me you are obliged to tell me!"

"No I am not!" Tatsuki snapped, "No where is it written that I have to divulge every detail of my life to you!"

Ichigo furrowed his brows and looked up at Tatsuki, "you were in the living world?"

"Yeah," Tatsuki responded, "and I told _third seat_ Minase if he wants to know why so badly he could always go and demand the information from _lieutenant_ Abarai; he gave me the permission!" Of course Renji had not given her the permission willingly but Tatsuki was not willing to get into another argument.

Ichigo was silent for a second, "Look, I'm not ready to get in the middle of one of your quarrels again; find a way to solve it. And Tatsuki, be serious; you can't move into my office."

Tatsuki angrily snatched the paper Ichigo was working on from his desk. "We all have work to do strawberry!" Ichigo flinched at the use of that nickname. "I swear I cannot spend another second in that office! I'd rather die before I shared an office with that moron of a third seat!"

Ichigo looked up and locked eyes with Tatsuki. The first thing he noticed was the pure, unbridled rage burning in her dark eyes. He dropped his pen, "Minase, excuse up." The third seat frowned but left the office all the same. Ichigo dropped his pen and Tatsuki relaxed slightly,

"What exactly is your problem with him? No one clashes with him, well no one but you." Ichigo asked.

Tatsuki clenched her fists, "Ichigo I already told you!" she snapped, "what, you don't believe me?"

"Are you calm now?" he asked, determined not to lose his temper either, because once he lost his temper they were not going to get anywhere.

"I swear one day I'm going to kill that bastard. What does he think I am some kind of terrorist?! Perhaps I'm a double agent and I'm secretly working for the hollows – yeah, that's it; I'm probably a vizard." The bitterness and sarcasm in her voice was almost enough to cover her last remark. Tatsuki finally managed to quell her anger, "I don't see why he has so know my _every_ move. Today the moment I got back; 'Arisawa where have you been' 'why' 'who gave you permission?' – what am I, on trial?"

He watched amusedly as Tatsuki paced up and down as she vented all her frustrations. Very few people could get her so thoroughly worked up. "At least you didn't hit him." Ichigo joked.

"Yet. I didn't hit him yet."

Tatsuki stopped in the middle of the room and ran her hand through her dark hair, "I guess you're right though; I can't move into your office."

"Since when do you listen to me?" Ichigo asked, in all honesty he had been joking. If it came down to it he truly would mind especially since he thought he could stop her if she wanted to move into his office; she'd probably kick _him_ out.

"When you're right. Like now; Minase would make too much noise if I were to move in and you'll ignore him but I have the feeling that I would kill him." Tatsuki said as she picked up her belongings.

"So what are you going to do?"

"I'll figure something out." She shrugged before walking out of his office.

Tatsuki paced outside, she knew there was no way she would return to the same office as Minase. "Tatsuki!" a familiar, cheery voice squealed. Tatsuki clenched her jaws as she tried to hold back her temper. There were very few people who were cheerier than Hisagi's lieutenant, Yuri Tanaka, who took a liking to Tatsuki the moment they met. However Tatsuki was not in the mood for her cheerful optimism and found it difficult _not _to storm away.

"It's been a while Suki." Tatsuki cringed at the use of the nickname, "you don't visit me, you don't visit captain, you've completely forgotten about us."

"Look Yuri, I'm not in the mood right now." Hisagi's lieutenant glanced down and noticed the box in Tatsuki's hands.

"Hey Suki, what's up with the box? Were you kicked out of your division?"

"No Yuri, I just can't spend another second in the same place as that idiot Minase. One day I am going to kill him."

"Aww, poor Suki-wuki."

"I thought I told you never to call me that." Tatsuki clipped.

"Aww, Suki-cookie, we'll take you in. You can always come back."

"Yuri, I have not been kicked out of my division and my name is not Suki. It's Tatsuki. Tat-suki. Alright?" Tatsuki snapped angrily.

"Oh but if you move into one of division nine's offices it's no big deal. I know _you _can reason your superiors into why it's not a big deal." Yuri grabbed Tatsuki's hand, "so let's go." She grinned as she dragged Tatsuki away.

...........

Hisagi leafed through his work absent-mindedly.

"Come in." He answered the knock on his door without looking up.

"Hey Shuuhei." An all too familiar voice said as the door opened. Hisagi did not bat an eyelid,

"I thought I heard Arisawa's voice but natural laws state that she does not knock so therefore I must be having one of those dreams in which _everyone_ respects my privacy."

"Very funny Shuuhei." Tatsuki said as she dropped her box on the desk in the corner, "I see you kept my desk."

"I couldn't be bothered to have it moved."

"Admit it, you missed me." She teased. Hisagi looked up from his work and raised an eyebrow,

"What are you doing?"

"I can't spend another second in the same office as that retard Minase. I'd rather die before moving back into that office."

"You're already dead." Hisagi pointed out.

"That's not the point."

Hisagi rested his chin in his palm, "you know there are a hundred questions I could ask you right now, but I think I would go with a simple 'why'?"

"Why what?" Tatsuki asked as she unpacked.

"Why move into _my_ office. You are no longer a shinigami of this division."

"I want to get as far away from Minase as humanly possible, and Yuri practically shoved me in here. I have to say, it works; that sycophant will not disturb or cross you, so I'm safe."

"Fine. Whatever. Just remember that I had nothing to do with it."

...................................

Yuri listened in excitedly. She did not try to hide the pleased grin that spread over her features. Finally, her Captain was going to be happy again.

* * *

**A/N: sorry this is late I have been swamped by school work. I hope you guys like Yura though. **


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

* * *

Matsumoto clapped loudly and the chattering in the room immediately ceased. "It has come to our attention that our current operation is taking too long and does not require the attention of the whole association." Whispers rose from the crowd. Did Matsumoto wish to cancel the current operation? It was not in the shinigami women's association to cancel operations on a whim. "No the operation will still continue." Matsumoto rose her voice about the buzzing whispers, "It there would only be two people on it leaving the rest of us open to find other 'cases' to aid and plan the annual shinigami women's association party." Many hand rose to volunteer but Yuri's was the first to go up. "Ok, Yuri Tanaka gets the operation. The other person, by default, is of course Renji Abarai – our honorary temporary member." Renji cast Matsumoto a dark glare and turned away.

"It's not fair Yuri gets this operation!" One member, who was hoping to use the mission as a way to get closer to a certain lieutenant complained.

"And why not?" Yuri asked in a low, leading tone.

"Well she's Captain Hisagi's lieutenant!"

"And how does that affect anything?" Yuri said, "If anything considering how close Tatsuki is to my captain I'd call it an advantage."

"In what sense?" The woman demanded,

"Look I'm sorry I got it but life isn't fair." Yuri almost giggled in anticipation. She was not concerned with the minor squabbles of the shinigami women's association; her plan was already forming and it would be too late before anyone realized a thing making it too late to stop her plan.

"Ok, ok, ok." Matsumoto said as she tried to regain some order, "Enough. Yuri was chosen, the end. The rest of us have business to find to get to work on. Everybody go find us business and report her in four hours."

Even as she walked with Renji Yuri could not help but grin at the sheer idea of her plan taking shape. "Are you alright Lieutenant Tanaka?" Renji asked not out of concern but more out of boredom.

"Of course I am silly." She giggled, "I have the best plan ever."

Renji resisted the urge to sigh and bang his head against the nearest wall. The universe appeared to relish in inflicting torture after torture on his poor soul.

"I have a wicked idea for the first part of my plan." Yuri grinned at him. Renji lowered his head,

"So how am I going to be tortured this time?" he asked in a defeated tone that for some inexplicable reason made Yuri's smile grow larger.

"Nothing. Just leave it to me this time." Renji was tempted to ask her exactly what her plan was but he quickly discarded the idea; it was not his business, the universe had just handed him a well deserved pardon and he was not about to question it.

………………………….

"I'm sorry captain. I'm sorry Suki; I'm just not feeling up to it at all." Yuri said in a weak voice, "I don't know how I fell so sick." She cringed for added affect.

Hisagi looked at her suspiciously; he had never known her to be sick a day in her life. "But I have to stay and finish all this work; the deadline is tomorrow." Yuri sighed at the huge pile of work that lay on her desk and Hisagi's eyes narrowed.

"Yuri, you're lying." He said coolly.

"Shuuhei, I don't think that's fair." Tatsuki snapped, "she says she's not feeling well just give her the benefit of the doubt. If it's about the work I'll do it even if I have to stay here all night." Tatsuki turned to Yuri, "You should go home and get some rest."

"Thank you Suki." Yuri smiled weakly before walking out slowly.

Once Yuri closed the door behind her Tatsuki turned and found herself faced with the amused, knowing stare of her former captain that somehow managed to unnerve her. "what?"

"Nothing." Hisagi said and focused his attention on his work. Tatsuki sat behind her desk that Hisagi had never quite gotten round to having removed from his office. She shuffled through the papers unable to concentrate. She looked up,

"Alright Shuuhei, What is it?"

"Yuri was lying." He stated plainly.

"But what if she wasn't?" Tatsuki shot back, slightly irritated by Hisagi's disregard for his lieutenant's health.

"You really care about people. Almost to a fault and I'm sorry but at times it makes you appear naïve."

Tatsuki glared at him silently and returned to Yuri's work.

……………….

Yuri forced herself to stay awake. She had snuck into Tatsuki's house and waited for Ichigo to come looking for Tatsuki. "I can't believe what an idiot Captain Kurosaki is such an idiot; it's almost one thirty am." Yuri stretched her legs on the couch and yawned, "Suki should be happy; I'm doing her a favour."

Almost thirty minutes later, there was a knock on the door. "Tatsuki! Oi Tatsuki wake up, where the hell where you today?!" a small smile spread across Yuri's lips. She walked to the front door and slid the door open,

"Sorry Captain Kurosaki," she couldn't help by smile, "Suki isn't here."

Ichigo frowned, "So where is she?"

"Dunno." Yuri shrugged, "I just came over because I wasn't feeling well but she wasn't here either. Do you want to leave a message?"

"No thank you." Ichigo clipped rudely. He turned to leave but paused, "Hey, do you know where she was today?"

"Of course." Yuri smiled slyly.

* * *

**A/N: I am super sorry that this is so late but I had so much schoolwork it was ridiculous. I will ****try**** to see that this does not happen again. For some odd reason the more i write Yuri's character the more I like her. **


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

* * *

When Ichigo burst into Hisagi's office he was not ready for what he found. He was actually expecting to confront Hisagi about Tatsuki moving into his office but what he saw caused his blood to run cold. Tatsuki was curled up comfortably on Hisagi's couch, half-asleep, with his division 9 captain's haori draped over her. He felt as if he had been stabbed in the heart.

Ichigo was furious and hurt, he stormed over to Hisagi's desk and slammed his hand down hard on it, "what the hell is going on here?!" he demanded.

"I believe Arisawa is sleeping." Hisagi said in a carefully detached tone without looking up from his work. Ichigo hated his cool demeanour.

"Why the hell is she here at this time?!"

"I believe that it is none of your business."

"I am speaking to you the least you can do is look at me dammit!"

"Ichigo." He spun round to find Tatsuki sitting up and sleepily rubbing her eyes. It turned out she was actually _wearing _Hisagi's captain's Haori, "Why would you come into Shuuhei's office and insult him?" She rose to her feet and folded her arms across her chest, "I think your problem is with me and if you have something to say to me you should." Ichigo didn't miss a beat,

"You know what, you're right – once again. And I do have something to say to you." He stepped towards her,

"So say it." Her eyes dared him. He was silent and Tatsuki used that as an opening to cut in, "wait, wait, wait – it's because I moved here isn't it? It's because I knew you wouldn't do a thing about Minase, you wouldn't even tell him to back off where as Hisagi will-"

"How can you be so sure?" Ichigo spat bitterly,

"Because he has! If he didn't don't you think Minase would have been here trying to make my life hell as usual?! You know it's really nice to have someone you can actually rely one, you can't blame him for your short-comings."

Ichigo stared at her in disbelief, "I- Tatsu-" he looked down at his hands and clenched and unclenched them. He didn't understand any of it, this sudden anger and jealousy; it was unlike him, well at least the jealous part. He looked up at her and noticed that she looked sheepish,

"Ichigo," she began apologetically, he could hear the guilt in her voice.

"Forget it Tatsuki." He said coldly as he brushed past her with a matching amount of hostility, "you can do whatever you want. Don't think I'll care anymore because it turns out I have too many shortcomings to do so." Tatsuki hung her head as the door slammed loudly.

"I can't believe I said that." She sank onto the sofa and pulled the haori tighter across her chest.

Hisagi fought the urge to say something; it was none of his business.

…………………

Yuri whistled happily as she stepped into Ichigo's office. "Hello Captain Kurosaki!" she waved animatedly, "it's a lovely day don't you think?"

"Lieutenant Tanaka."

Yuri furrowed her brows, "Are you alright? You seem kinda off."

Her excessive cheeriness was grating furiously on Ichigo's senses, "is there a reason for being here?" he asked tersely.

"Well there is," she placed a folder carefully on his desk, "Suki said I should hand this in and I have this for you to sign." She held out some papers stapled together. Ichigo took the papers and glanced at them. "The first sheet is all you have to sign, the rest are for different people." She explained, her smile still in place. Ichigo quickly signed the paper and handed it back to her.

"Thank you Captain!" she grinned.

"Lieutenant Tanaka," Ichigo was unsure of what he was about to do but he figured Yuri was the best person to ask. "Is Tatsuki still in Captain Hisagi's office?"

Yuri's smile slowly faded, "yeah, why?" She noticed Ichigo motioning to stand up, "wait Captain; if you want to go and apologize I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Apologize for what?"

"Suki was really upset yesterday and she told me what happened. She seems really mad right now and she even told me the last thing she wants to see is you face, that's why I delivered her work and not here." A sense of satisfaction filled her as Ichigo's face fell, "Her exact words were 'Ichigo knows how much my friends mean to me and of his own free-will he's being a bastard to Hisagi who has done nothing to him the last thing I want to see is that inconsiderate ass.'"

"Really?"

"But I can talk to her for you." Yuri offered quickly, "I mean I will try. I think she's overreacting and not being fair at all."

"Lieu-"

"Don't worry Captain Kurosaki, I'll handle everything." Yuri assured him right before she hurried out of his office. Once out of his office she unclipped the papers and thanks to the blue carbon copier paper she had put between the papers she had Ichigo's signature on every sheet underneath the one he had signed. "This is too easy." She smiled.

* * *

**A/N: I am on time! I feel so acomplished right now. =^_^=**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

* * *

Yuri entered Hisagi's office looking slightly morose. "Yuri thanks again for sending my work but I could have sent it myself." Tatsuki said not noticing the satisfied look on Yuri's face. "But then I used the time to think and I guess I should apologize to Ichigo. Even Hisagi agrees." Yuri immediately cast her captain a dark look. He was such an idiot; what was he trying to do, undo her hard work?

"Suki, there's something I should tell you." Yuri said in a tone that matched her sudden morose expression, "but maybe not here."

Yuri led Tatsuki outside she placed a comforting hand on Tatsuki's shoulder, "I think Captain Kurosaki is angrier than you think." Tatsuki tilted her head slightly to the right,

"What do you mean?"

"I stole this from his desk." Yuri said as she handed Tatsuki a transferral request for Tatsuki signed by Ichigo. Tatsuki's brows raised in disbelief as she stared at the papers,

"Really." She tried to be matter-of-fact about it but her voice gave her away.

"I tried asking him and apologizing on your behalf-"

"You did what?"

"What I did does not matter Suki, what matters is what he said." Yuri snapped in a manner that was unlike her. "He said he doesn't care and in fact, you guys have been drifting apart for so long that he can't seem to care about 'this' – what ever 'this' is – because he had seen it coming from a mile off and you should have too."

"Oh." Tatsuki said slowly, refusing to show that she was hurt.

"I'm sorry Suki." Yuri smiled gently at Tatsuki.

"It doesn't matter Yuri." Tatsuki said in a sharper tone than she had intended to, "because he's free to do what he wants. It's not like my life revolves around that idiot. I am going to give him a piece of my mind."

"No!" Yuri quickly calmed herself down, "I mean you're both angry and might say something you'll regret. You guys have been friends since you were alive and if you value that friendship I think you should give him time to cool off. Right know he knows you're sorry so when he comes to his senses he'll come to you."

Tatsuki stared at Yuri, slightly unconvinced but she decided to go with Yuri's advice; out of the two of them Yuri was probably the one thinking straight because Tatsuki knew that at the moment she was too upset to do so.

Yuri smiled to herself as she watched Tatsuki walk away obviously angry and hurt. "What's your game?" She jumped at the sound of Renji's voice.

"L-L-Lieutenant Abarai, you scared me." She ran her hand through her hair nervously, "where you here the whole time?"

"What are you playing at Tanaka?" Renji demanded, "Don't answer that; I don't care, just make sure you don't hurt my friends otherwise you'll have to answer to me."

"Abarai you don't scare me." She sounded much braver than she felt.

"Good. I'm trying not to." He said coolly before shunpoing away.

Yuri turned sharply on her heel and stormed away. No one was going to stop her, not even some over-confident lieutenant.

* * *


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

* * *

"Guess what!" Yuri squealed as she ran into Hisagi's office waving a pink and white chappy poster. "It's the 'Shinigami Women's Association's Monthly Annual Shinigami Women's Association Party'!" she exclaimed before Tatsuki or Hisagi could answer.

"What?" Tatsuki asked, thinking she had misheard due to the loud ringing in her ears from Yuri's high-pitched squeal.

"Yuri, do I begin to tell you many things are wrong with what you just said?" Hisagi asked.

"Captain, stop being a kill-joy."

"No, how can it be monthly _and_ annual?" Hisagi seemed honestly confused, "do you have an 'annual' party every month or a 'monthly' party every year?"

"Hisagi's right," Tatsuki piped, "and why is there two 'Shinigami Women's association' in the name?"

"Tch, you two sound just like Nanao." Yuri stuck out her tongue childishly, "It's new; of course it'll have a few errors."

"Yuri, it's a party not a military operation or a system." Tatsuki stated out plainly, "How many errors can you have in naming a party?"

Yuri ignored her.

Holding up the poster Yuri grinned, "Suki isn't the poster just cute?" she spun round and faced her captain, "Captain isn't it cute?" Hugging the poster tightly against her chest she twirled round happily, "I am so excited!"

Tatsuki looked at Hisagi, her expression clearly questioned his lieutenants sanity. He only shook his head slowly, telling her not to bother. "I know you two don't like the idea of the Annual Shinigami Women's Association party but try and pretend to be enthusiastic." Yuri huffed.

"Oh yay." Tatsuki said sarcastically.

Yuri stuck out her tongue at Tatsuki childishly and Tatsuki laughed, "Anyway" Yuri continued happily, "I'm going with Hisoka from the seventh division. Who are you going with Suki?"

"I'm not going." Tatsuki stated in a tone that suggested it should have been obvious. Yuri stared at her in disbelief,

"B-But every member of the shinigami women's association is supposed to go."

"And I am not a member of that association so it's not compulsory that I attend."

"You know what," Yuri brightened "you should go with Captain."

"I'm not even going," Hisagi pointed out. "I doubt there would be no bigger waste of time than the _monthly_ annual shinigami women's association party."

"Yes you are." she said matter-of-factly, "you don't have a choice, and it's not a waste of time."

"Do you want extra work for the rest of the century?"

"If it'll get you to go, sure." Yuri wrapped her arms around Tatsuki in a tight hug and pleaded to Hisagi, "Do it for Suki-wuki so she won't have to go alone."

"Yuri, no I am not going." Tatsuki said clearly albeit slightly irritated, or at least she thought she had until she found herself, later in the afternoon, being dragged through the town by Yuri an a gang of absolutely crazy shinigami women who, not only could not agree on anything, but were determined to somehow find Tatsuki 'the perfect kimono'.

Tatsuki could immediately tell it was not going to end well – nor soon.

…………………

Hisagi was pretty sure he did not in any way want to attend some silly party hosted by a group famous for having nothing to do, but by some incomprehensibly means utilisable by only His lieutenant, Yuri Tanaka, he was standing in front of a door waiting to pick up someone who felt the same way about the party as he did – but they were going to attend said party. He was still contemplating the logic behind his current situation when the door opened and Hisagi, for several second, was lost for words.

"Are you going to say something or do something, like move perhaps; you're kind of freaking me out."

"Are you in a dress?" he finally asked in disbelief, "and is that a hairclip in your hair?"

"No, it's a rabbit-clip." Tatsuki said dryly suddenly regretting that she had spoken; she liked him better when he was mute. "If it wasn't a hairclip what would it be doing in my hair?"

"No wait; it's a flower isn't it? No, a flower shaped clip-" Hisagi continued in disbelief.

"Are you done?" Tatsuki interrupted tersely.

"No, not yet." Tatsuki let out a sharp breath in annoyance; she was nervous, her dress was uncomfortable, she looked like an idiot and she was being forced to attend a party that didn't have the sense to have a sensible name.

"You look really nice."

"T-Thank you." She said slightly taken-aback. She had expected him to mock her for the entire night, not compliment her.

"You actually look like a girl, who knew it was possible." Hisagi added with a nonchalant shrug. "Now I'm done." He smiled slightly.

Suddenly feeling much less nervous, Tatsuki's eyes narrowed slightly as she pretended to be irritated. "Oh you just wait Shuuhei Hisagi, I'll get you for that." Tatsuki promised semi-playfully. "I _will_ get you."

…………………………………….

**A/N: Sorry for the ridiculously short chapters. I am swamped with work and trying to get these up as regularly as possible. **


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

**

* * *

  
**

She never wanted to see him again? Ichigo refused to believe her words. Yuri had spoken to her and told him she said she would speak to him when she was ready but it had been a whole week – he had never known her to hold grudges so long. Normally she would beat him up and let it go but she hadn't even come near him. He kept thinking about the incident that had led to all this and he had concluded that he was at fault.

He was such an idiot; he knew how much she cared about those around her and yet he had gone ahead to practically insult Hisagi, and the issue with Minase… he was truly an idiot. It hurt that she was so angry, but his hurt quickly melted away, when he saw her and who she walked in with, and gave way to anger. Anger at her because she was being so childish and she didn't seem to care about him at all, anger at Hisagi for turning her against him, for being such and obstacle and finally anger at himself for a reason her did not know yet. He found himself slowly giving way to his desire to beat Hisagi into non-existence...and then a bit further. He was pulled out of his thoughts by a sharp pain in his side,

"What?" He asked Rukia who had so heartlessly elbowed him in the side.

"Ichigo you are an idiot."

"Rukia just stay out of it ok." He snapped angrily.

Tatsuki had not been expecting that reaction. She had not fully believed what Yuri had told her until that moment. The hostility Ichigo's eyes when he looked at her had chilled her to the bone. She was sure she would have cried had it not been for the hand that rested on her arms,

"You two are too dramatic for you own good."

She took in a deep breath and turned to Hisagi with a half-smile, "dramatic?"

"Let's go; Alcohol helps things like this."

"Hisagi for the last time I don't drink. I think it's stupid looking for solace at the bottom of a bottle."

"Who said anything about looking for solace? We're looking for disillusion."

"Was that a joke?" Tatsuki laughed, "It was a pretty good one."

"Wait here, I'll be back soon." Hisagi said before he left.

………….

Tatsuki took a sip of the drink and coughed, "how can you drink this thing?!" she immediately set it down and cleared her throat. She opened her mouth to say something but found herself lost for words,

"You are such an amateur." Hisagi teased.

"No, you're just an alcoholic."

"Hisagi!" He turned to find Matsumoto waving frantically from the bar, motioning for him to come over, He turned and looked at Tatsuki who merely said,

"Go, but if you get drunk just know that's I'm leaving you here… or in a gutter somewhere."

"I'll be back soon."

The moment Hisagi left Ichigo took the opportunity and stepped towards Tatsuki. He had used his 'sulking' time to think and as much as he hated to admit it, thinking was not his strongest point but the time was not wasted. He knew what his goal was and he decided he would freestyle his was there. He didn't care if she was truly mad at him, she'd get over it. "Tatsuki." She turned to him, disbelief written all over her face, a reaction which was definitely better than the one he had been expecting.

"Ichigo?"

"I don't care how mad you are, we need to talk right now."

"Seriously?" He had expected her to ne annoyed, perhaps furious but not be shocked.

"Can we go outside?"

Tatsuki rose to her feet, "Sure." She said carefully not quite believing what was going on. Ichigo was confused momentarily but concluded that she had told Yuri she did not want to speak to him because he had not had the courtesy to speak to her directly; he really was an idiot.

Yuri noticed Tatsuki and Ichigo heading outside and she motioned to follow them in an attempt to stop them but a strong hand grabbed onto her elbow, "Not this time." An all too familiar voice whispered. She growled under her breath as Renji dragged her towards Rukia, "Hey Rukia." He grinned, "Guess where Ichigo is?"

"Sulking in some corner?" Yuri tried to wriggle out of his grip but Renji held on tighter.

"Nope. Where's Tatsuki?" Rukia looked round,

"Where?"

"They went out together." Renji explained. Yuri once again tried to excape but Renji tightened his grip even further and Yuri whimpered.

"Really?!" Rukia beamed. "We did it!" she yelled excitedly, "Shinigami women we were successful!"

"No, Yuri did it." Renji pushed her towards Rukia, "you should congratulate her on her _good_ work." Yuri shot Renji a bitter glare but he shrugged it off and grinned satisfactorily as Rukia hugged Yuri tightly.

"Matsumoto!" Rukia yelled, "Guess what Yuri managed to do?"

"Don't think you've won." Yuri whispered coldly to Renji as she was dragged off by Rukia towards a crowd of cheering shinigami women. Yuri frowned coldly; they were all such idiots.

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**A/N: **

**Sorry I have not updates in so long; I had exams and being the loyal, hard-working student I am waited till the last minute to study, and also sorry this chapter isn't 'all that'; exam results can be depressing. Why the hell do teachers mark so fast? **

**and I'm sorry for the short chapter; I'm kinda sick right now.  
**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

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"I thought you didn't want to see me again." Tatsuki said the moment they stepped outside.

"What? – Look, I didn't call you out here to talk about that. Can we just leave everything about Seretei out?" Tatsuki furrowed her brows, not quite understanding what he meant,

"I mean... walk." Tatsuki stumbled slightly as he dragged her forward.

"Ichigo do you have a death wish?" It seemed they couldn't remain mad at each other.

"Life was much simpler before Seretei wasn't it?" She remembered. She also remembered how simple everything was because then she had seen him only as a friend, even well into their time in Seretei her views of him had not changed. It was only recently that everything got dramatic enough to annoy her.

She hated betraying their friendship for her silly emotions. She did not do the whole drama thing and was very able to keep her emotions out of their friendship so it didn't hurt much to save their friendship except he seemed bound on destroying it for no reason at all.

"Well not for you." She pointed out.

"That's what you think." Ichigo snorted, "What do you think would have happened if you hadn't died so early?" Normally he was the best at tackling things head on but for some reason he couldn't say what he really wanted to.

"What is all this about?" Tatsuki threw her hands up in frustration, "first you're mad then you're not, then you don't want to see me and then you don't care what I do and now you want to talk about something only goodness knows when after it occurred. Ichigo, I don't blame you for me dying; I didn't need you to protect me, don't you see it you idiot?!"

"I'm the idiot?" Ichigo could not believe how stupidly proud she was, "you're the one saying you did not need me to protect you. You _died_.Last time I checked that was a bad thing."

"You don't get it!" Tatsuki was quickly losing her temper; it seemed they could not remain _not_ mad at each other either. "I do not blame you, and do you want to know why? Because I didn't expect you to be there in the first place."

Her words hit him like ice, "Wh-what do you mean you didn't _expect_ me to be there, of course I would have been!"

"But you weren't." Tatsuki rubbed the bridge of her nose in frustration, "Ichigo just drop it ok, it's long ago. I didn't care then and I am not going to let you work me up over something I really do not care about."

Ichigo laughed. It was a cold, humorless half-laugh. "You know what, this was a bad idea. You say you never want to see me again and I force this silly conversation on you and what do I succeed in doing? Just making you madder. May be you should just go back to your beloved Hisagi or something. This was just a terrible idea."

Tatsuki stared at him wide eyed, lips parted slightly in disbelief. "So you _want_ me to be angry with you, you want me to be holding some silly grudge?"

"I. don't. know. Ok?" His voice was terse as if she were haranguing him, "I. don't. know. You're supposed to be mad at me, and my apologizing for that would be like me apologizing for everything else, but you're not mad and me apologizing for that is only making you mad."

"Of course I'm mad at you you moron!" Tatsuki grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him down so they were eye level. "I'm pissed and mad. You are trying to get me transferred you asshole!"

"I'm what?"

"That is not the point!" She let go of his and turned round sharply and folded her arms across her chest, "the point is, I forgive you; I'm still mad but I'm not mad _at_ you. I can't be; you seem to have something truly bothering you and what kind of friend will I be if I just piled my anger on your problems? Geez Kurosaki, sometimes you need to think a little."

"Well, I think I love you." It was stated so plainly and matter-of-factly that Tatsuki almost missed it. She turned round slowly as if fearing what she would find behind her,

"Wha-" Her words were forcibly cut off by his kiss. At first it was nice. He tasted of nostalgia, nostalgia and cake. Then she realized the implications of their current actions; what would happen from there? They had been friends for so long that something like this was bound to end badly. There was also the issue of its suddenness. She quickly pulled away.

"Tatsuki…" His eyes were filled with confusion and hurt.

"Ichigo… I… uh, I… You're making a mistake." She moved back slowly. He looked so crestfallen that under different circumstances it would have been funny, but it wasn't. She suddenly felt horrible; maybe she was just being pessimistic for no reason. "No, I'm making a mistake and… Ichigo can you please not confuse me. Not now."

She quickly pulled herself together, "I just need to think." She explained before walking away. She felt like and idiot and felt like hitting herself but mostly, she felt like a coward.

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**A/N: Right. I have nothing to say, maybe except; the poll on my profile is open for one more week. I'm sorry, I'm just exhausted. I promise the next chapter will be better. **


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

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She had barely slept at all because something was eating at her. It wasn't guilt because she had nothing to feel guilty about. She walked into her living room and stopped. Pacing around her living room, like a complete lunatic, and speaking to himself was the person she had been thinking about all night.

"Ichigo, what the hell are you doing in my house?"

"Tatsuki I'm not going to lose you to Hisagi and I swear it."

"So you break into my house…" she said in disbelief.

"Actually I stole the spare key from Hisagi- which leads me to why the hell does he have a spare key to your house?"

"Orihime has one." Tatsuki shrugged as if it were the most natural thing on earth, "but back to the question at hand: Why are you here?"

"Because I won't let you go! Do you know how painful it was for when you rejected me?"

Tatsuki could have pulled out a list of all the times he had hurt her but she choose not. "I don't care if you want to leave because I won't let you. You think I don't know how to stalk people? I will sleep on your doorstep everyday if I have to!" Ichigo practically yelled.

"You don't have to be so loud." Tatsuki said calmly, "and I was never with you in the first place to leave you."

"Do you want me to beg?" Ichigo asked.

"You can't beg for affection you idiot."

"I will." Ichigo threatened.

"Don't you have a sense of pride Kurosaki?!"

"Pride does not come in here. I have this feeling that you don't know just how much I love you. I guess I did not really explain things well. I'm jealous ok. Everything I've done is because I'm jealous."

"Jealous of what?" Tatsuki tilted her head slightly to the side.

"Of Hisagi! When you keep choosing Hisagi over me I get jealous and bitter like when you moved into his office and the time I found you sleeping in his office. It's like I keep failing you and he doesn't. I think you'll pick him over me."

"Ichigo, I'll pick a puppy over you." Tatsuki said bluntly.

"Thank you for your sensitivity." Ichigo replied sarcastically, "but can you try and take this seriously?"

"No." Ichigo was taken aback by her statement. What he had said was a joke but was she really not taking him seriously?

"Why?" He asked.

"Because," Tatsuki sighed, "I don't want to. If I do it'll have to make sense and it's too scary – you can laugh at me all you want but-"

"You feel the same way don't you." Ichigo breathed. He took her hands in his, "take me seriously."

"No Ichigo." Tatsuki realized she was losing control of the situation. Yes, she most likely did feel the same way but the complications accepting him would bring would be just too many.

"Tatsuki."

"Ichigo, do you want to be hurt? I said no." Of course he did not believe her; she did not even believe herself.

"There's only one way you could hurt me right now." He replied seriously.

"No, there are about a hundred. And twelve. Thousand." Ichigo couldn't help but smile at her words and Tatsuki smiled back. She had to face it; she had lost from the very beginning, she had been lying to herself anyway. "There will be rules." Ichigo leaned down and kissed her sweetly. "I hope you know you should have just said all that rubbish before, it would have made things easier for the both of us."

…………………….

"You'll do something, right captain? You can't just lose Suki-chan. Fight!" Yuri pleaded with her captain.

"Lieutenant, for the absolute last time, I am not in love with Arisawa." Hisagi said in frustration.

"You're lying and I know it and you know I know so do something!" Yuri stamped her foot childishly. Hisagi was forced to wonder exactly from what hole did Sereitei drag this girl and place her as his lieutenant. "You're losing to someone with orange hair. Captain, do you realise he has orange hair? Orange, captain, his hair is _orange_!"

"Lieutenant Tanaka, I think you should take the rest of the day off, go home and take a nice long nap."

"No offence Captain, but you're an idiot." Yuri huffed as she spun round and stormed away ensuring to slam the door as loudly as possible behind her.

Yuri was right, he had lost but that didn't really matter because it was never like he was winning in the first place. He had seen it coming a mile off.

His office door opened quickly and Yuri stuck her head in, "Oh and she's not moving out. Captain Zaraki said she didn't need to be _in_ the division office. She likes you better." Hisagi's pen snapped in two. What vengeful power had he irritated so thoroughly that he deserved to be denied peace and quiet?

"So I'm still going to be denied sanity."

"Oh, so now you want to get rid of me." Tatsuki sneered from behind me,

"Entering from the window now are we? That's much better than just breaking down my wall." Hisagi said calmly.

"Sorry but you're stuck with me Shuuhei." Tatsuki grinned playfully..

……………………

"Tatsuki you can't change divisions again." Ichigo objected

"Ha, I'm not the one who sent that transferral request." She smirked as she stepped close to him and poked him in the chest. He did was not the one who sent it either but that did not matter.

"You've been through more divisions than anyone I know." He sighed. He pulled her close to him and leaned down, their lips almost touching "they're gonna get tired of you hopping around."

"Then they'll just make me a free-lance shinigami."

"The eleventh is just going to be her third." Yuri said loudly. Tatsuki pulled away from Ichigo and blushed slightly, "plus if you look at it she's really only been in one division. She spends so much time in _Captain's_ office she's practically part of the ninth division."

"What the hell are you talking about Lieutenant Tanaka? She's going to the eleventh so that means she'll be moving out. Sorry you'll be losing the only one who can tolerate you psychosis."

"Oh, Suki-chan, I looked into what you asked me to and Captain Zaraki said he doesn't give a damn what you do as long as you show your face in the eleventh division training room from time to time." Yuri smiled happily.

"Looked into what?" Ichigo looked at Tatsuki who was smiling sheepishly, "Tatsuki…?" Yuri grabbed Tatsuki's arm and yanked her away from Ichigo happily,

"Zaraki said I could work from anywhere I want so I'll still be working from Shuuhei's office." Tatsuki said as Yuri practically dragged her out the door, "don't worry, Shuuhei'll probably kick me out anyway."

"Heh, Kurosaki it seems like no matter where Suki-chan goes there's one person she can't bear to leave and it's not you." Yuri stuck out her tongue.

"Shut-up Yuri." Tatsuki sighed as she pushed the lieutenant out the door and slammed it in her face.

"I don't like this." Ichigo huffed as he crossed his arms across his chest.

"Don't worry, you'll find a way to deal with it; Shuuhei didn't like it either but he found a way to deal with it – I think. That or I'll be doing ninth division paper work again."

Ichigo let out a deep breath and pulled her into a tight embrace, "Gosh I need to find something to do with you; you are so clueless."

"Coming from you, Strawberry, that actually hurts."

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**A/N: is there an emoticon for sighing? I hate this story, it's making me want to write an extra bit about Yuri getting Maayuri to make her a love potion for Tatsuki and HIsagi - but I have huge exams coming up soon. Shoot. **

**I'm sorry, I just don't do well on mushy stuff - someone dying, o.k. - hapily ever after? much harder...**


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